Spring Song

Birdsong
How I love its rich melody, pure joy!

It encourages me, cheers me on as if to say …
“The day is new and fresh, you can do whatever you set your heart to do.”

On certain days, one of their kind will single me out.
It might be the jay or the chickadee or sometimes the purple finch.
His song beckons me to reply, to stop – for more than a moment …
and respond in kind with conversation.

What do birds discuss?
Do they talk about the weather? I imagine so.
Do they tell of their plans in life, the difficulties they endure, the happy moments they remember? They must.

What is this one saying today?
Surely he must be telling me to “Cease the moment! Enjoy the day!” Revel in the glory of his song.

I visited with a dear friend just yesterday. She will begin treatment next week, holding on to as many days of life as possible. There were four of us sitting at the kitchen table as we always have, birds feeders just outside the window waiting for the supper rush. Birds were all around us. Little ceramic birds, bird cards, bird art, bird spoons. She handed a metal one to my daughter, no bigger than a quail’s egg, and a small statue of a cardinal sitting upon a rose blossom to me, to keep and cherish and remind us of her.

We talked of birds of course, which ones we liked, ones who were bullies, ones who we love so much we now recognize their song. And of gardens once tended and in whose garden the yellow roses and bleeding hearts are in now.

We didn’t cry then, but we will. And we must.

And it amazes me so … how those who are weak, whether physically or emotionally … give us such strength from their ability to endure the most difficult of days. And I will be stronger then, when I hear that spring song.

What beautiful post Karen. Somehow birdsong can just lighten our mood, and signal us to respond by acknowledging the beauty in nature and how good it is to be alive. It sounds like your friend truly appreciates birds and I imagine that they give her solace in her challenging days.

My love of birds is very deep and goes back to the youngest of days in my childhood. My dad knew birds by their songs, and he would say to me as we walked around the country side, and a bird sang off in the distance, “what bird is that singing”, and if I didn’t know, he would tell me. Those moments are precious memories now. You post is so lovely, and gentle thoughts of those who are pressing on through difficult times. You are such a kind soul, sharing difficult times with comforting words.

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In the process of learning how to navigate the world of technology, I discovered that it can be approached like any artistic medium, step by step, methodically, with a measure of trial and error. I began to see it as a tool to create my artistic vision. I discovered that it is more about our perception of the tool than it is our ability.

I still dive into the deep end of artistic expression, pushing my boundaries, ignoring my comfort zone, thinking so far outside the box I guess there really isn't one. But now I do it digitally, and am totally in love with the process!